


Chapter 4 : THE DOORS OF DESTINY

by Myril_Chan



Series: BEFORE DAO [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:00:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26697145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myril_Chan/pseuds/Myril_Chan
Summary: The warden becomes a hunter apprentice while Alistair is sent to the chantry.The idea behind my Before:DAO series is to tell my Mahariel and Alistair's parallel childhoods. I took inspiration from the real lore to make it as realistic and lore-friendly as possible. All my inspirations and sources are mentionned in the end.This serie is part of my whole fanfic which aims to tell the story of Alistair & warden from their childhood to DAI and maybe further...Comment & (constructive) critics are highly welcome to help me improve my writting.If you have a fanfic on the same themes : please let me know !
Relationships: Alistair/Female Warden (Dragon Age), Alistair/Mahariel (Dragon Age)
Series: BEFORE DAO [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942735





	1. Ymlaïs'part

9 :20 DRAGON

"Very well," said Master Ilen, "Let’s see what you can do".  
  
Ymlaïs was shaking like a leaf. All those looks on her... She felt their weight on her shoulders. She notched an arrow… _Come on, Ymlaïs, you’ve done it dozens of times in the woods, you can do it_. She took a deep breath, draw the bow and fired. The arrow stuck to the left of the center.

« Do it again. » said calmly Master Ilen.

Again the fear rose. She closed her eyes for a moment but then she saw herself surrounded by all the members of the clan, each pointing at her while laughing.

« Come on ïethallan, do it ! » 

She opened her eyes and met the gaze of Tamlen who smiled at her with all his being. At his side, Fenarel was smiling too. Alongside the keeper, Merrill also smiled at her and Maren and Ashalle.

Carried by their smiles, she turned towards the target with a stare full of determination. Quietly, she notched the arrow, draw the bow, fired and the arrow came right to the heart of the target.  
Ilen turned his gaze to the keeper :

« What do you say Marethari ? 

\- I say we have a new hunter apprentice in the clan, isn’t it obvious ? 

\- Indeed. Welcome on the _Vir Tanadhal_ Ymlaïs » 

Tamlen shouted and threw himself at her neck. Fenarel, Maren and Merril joined him and surrounded their radiant friend. Junar also approached with a poker face before saying in a smile: 

« Finally I’m going to have a worthy challenger. It’ll make things interesting. 

\- Stop showing off Junar and get ready to fall off your pedestal: in a few moons, Ymlaïs will beat you hands down.

\- We’ll see."

Throwing an angry look at Tamlen, Ymlaïs intervened and reached out to the young hunter.  
“I would be honoured to train with you, Junar. I am sure I would learn a lot from you.”  
The young hunter shook her hand. “ You see Tamlen, your friend is smarter than you, you should take a lesson of it.

\- Say that again !"

« Come on, Da'lens, this is no time for bickering. Our clan welcomes a new apprentice hunter, this is good news » Said the halla keeper as he approached. « Even if it means that the hallas and I are losing you Da’len. »

Ymlais had a sad look for her former mentor. 

“I’m so sorry, Master.

\- Don’t be ». Crouching down in front of the girl, he put his hands on her shoulders. You follow your own way and that’s a good thing. I came to congratulate you, not to spoil your joy. I always thought you weren’t completely made to walk in my footsteps. I’m glad you found your rightful place. And then I have Maren by my side. Between us, she’ll make a better halla keeper than you. He said with a wink. 

\- Thank you Master. I have learned a lot with you and with the hallas. You will always be in my heart.

\- I don’t doubt it, Da’len, I don’t doubt it. Anyway, your heart is big enough to carry the world. If it guides your arrow, then you will be an exceptional hunter. Never doubt it. »

There were still congratulations, Ymlaïs felt dizzy by so many emotions. Then people dispersed and Ymlaïs found herself alone with Tamlen at her side.

“Thank you,Tamlen.I would never have made it without you.I would never have dared.  
\- Why be afraid? If you want to know what’s behind a door, you have to open it.” 

Ymlaïs looked at the forest and felt in her chest all the strength that had sleept in her and had awakened.It was as if all the doors of the world had opened at the same time.


	2. Alistair's part

« That’s enough, Eamon, I’ve had enough. I have tolerated this masquerade for years because I could not give you an heir but now I have no reason to accept the presence of this bastard under my roof! He is a threat to my son, to _your_ son! His presence is an insult to Connor! I would not tolerate it !

\- Isolde, I have already told you that Alistair is not my son.

\- Lies! For what other reason who you have collected him? And if it were just that! Do you have to have so much affection for all the orphans in the region in addition to giving them a roof over their heads? Why him and not another?

\- Your words are cruel, my love. He’s just a child. What if it was Connor who…

\- You DARE to compare Connor to this … Fleabag ! If you are not his father then who is it? For I hope you didn’t do all this for the sake of a servant ? »

For any answer, the arl lowered his head. He had a sad look and his shoulders bent as under the weight of a heavy burden. The silence that settled only increased the rage that boiled in the heart of the arlessa.

« If he’s not your son, then make him go. For Connor’s sake, for my sake, he has to go. If you refuse, I will take your attachment to this child as an admission. I couldn’t bear to see you continue to treat this child like you do when we have a son.

\- Isolde… » 

The arlessa stood in front of her husband and the look she gave him was implacable.

“The boy _must_ go away”.

\---—

«If it is because of the incident with Ser Donnall, I won’t do it again, I promise. I never meant to do any harm !

\- I know, Alistair. You are a good boy and we are happy to have you with us – at the thought of Lady Isolde, the boy snorted – but, you cannot stay here forever you know it well.

\- But this is my home! Why couldn’t I stay? Why am I being chased out? "

\- I am not chasing you out, Alistair. I am offering you a better future: what will you become if you stay here? Do you want to remain a stable boy for the rest of your life? Ser Donnall told me about you. At the Chantry, you will receive an education and training that your origins would forbid you here. »

At the thought of leaving the castle and everything he had ever known, the boy felt tears coming up in his eyes. Although he lived with dogs and spent his days working hard in mud-covered clothes, it was his home. It had always been and he thought it would always be. He rushed to his bench and took out his mother’s amulet. But the sight of the object only revived his sadness.

« My mother is dead, my father doesn’t want me, my brother doesn’t care about me, and now you’re chasing me out.” Tears of resentment ran down his cheeks and he shouted : "Everyone rejects me, nobody wants me!" With rage, he threw the amulet forcefully against the wall.It shattered into pieces leaving the boy in shock, looking haggard at the pieces scattered on the ground. The arl approached the boy and placed his hand on his shoulder. In a furious gesture, Alistair rejected him and ran away in the night.

Two days later, after a journey that took place under heavy rain, the boy was taken to the Chantry of Bournswick. Edlyn had given him a huge piece of cheese for the trip but other than that he had no luggage. The Templars who had come to fetch him had said that everything he nedded would be provided by the Chantry. _He_ was the luggage.

Behind him, everything he had cherished his all life. Before him, the unknown.

Arriving in front of the large building surrounded by walls, Alistair found it sinister, and when the heavy doors were closed behind him, it was as if all the doors of the world had closed at the same time.

**Author's Note:**

> **INSPIRATIONS**
> 
> Not much to say for the warden's part. As it follows directly the "[I believe in you"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26697046) chapter : it is based on the same ideas. That you can't see what is behind a door unless you open it. 
> 
> For Alistair's part, also we don't know exactly Connor's age during DAO, I think he could be around 10. Which means he was born approximately when Alistair was sent to the chantry. In my mind, Connor's birth is actually the main reason why Alistair was finally sent away after 10 years of living in Redcliff.


End file.
